Tag Archives: god’s plan

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–Thank you

Do you ever feel like you have a dark cloud over you that you just can’t shake? Well, it’s been that way for a bit here. We’ve had more downs than ups but I know that it won’t last forever.

A few months back I mentioned that we had tried to get a house and it just didn’t work out. We haven’t given up but things have been quite a bit tougher than we ever imagined during this process and honestly, I’m about to lose my ever-lovin’ mind with paperwork on top of paperwork. (I’ve been hinting about a big surprise and was hoping to have some major housing updates by now but so far NADA.)

This quaint little cabin has some major issues and we have been working on them a little at a time but sometimes I just wanna throw my hands up in the air and quit. Seriously, it’s hard living in 600 square feet with 7 people and a doggie. I do love this little cabin and its location but in all honesty, it’s not been an easy transition for me. Continue reading When the rainy days just don’t seem to end→

A couple of weeks ago I posted about some BIG NEWSthat we might have to share… well, unfortunately, that big news is no news this time. Yes, I’m a little heartbroken, well maybe more than a just a little.

Once again we had set out to look for a house but this time we had found the PERFECTone! It wasn’t too big or too small… in fact, it was the only one we’ve seen that felt like HOME the moment I walked in the front door. I was afraid to say anything because I didn’t want to ‘jinx it’. I prayed and had some of my family and close friends praying about it. I also knew in my heart that I needed to be prepared for any outcome.

Everyone seemed pretty optimistic as we filled out the paperwork and submitted it for approval. Let me tell you that waiting, with fingers and toes crossed, is very agonizing. Then we got word that the loan was not approved… my heart sank. We tried again with a co-signer, then again with another company, and another with the same answer. I knew that GOD was saying NO, Not yet my child.

However now we know what the problem(s) are and we are taking steps to fix this in the future. These issues have probably caused us to miss out on this PERFECThouse but I know that in the future there will be a time when GOD does say YES and it will be more than we ever expected. Continue reading When God Says No, Not Yet…→

We’ve all heard the expression ‘It is better to give than to receive’ but what about when we are the receiver and not the giver?

I was once told, by an old preacher, that I should always accept things that are given to me. He told me that if I refused these kinds of gifts I may be robbing the giver out of a blessing. Whoa! I had never looked at like that but now I do and I try to be as thankful as I can for everything even critical remarks and comments. I definitely don’t want to be considered a thief.

Sometimes God sends us things we need without us knowing that we needed them. He may send them through other people because they are in need of a blessing as well. So swallow your pride and thankfully accept what has been given. This may be their way of showing love. (Look up the Five Love Languages for more information.) By accepting their gifts you are also helping them to grow in a more positive way.

There have been many times where people have blessed me unexpectedly. I have been in line at the grocery store on more than one occasion and had the person behind me pay for my groceries. I know I have thanked them and even cried because sometimes this has happened when I really wasn’t sure if I was going to need to put something back or not.

There have been other times when I was more than capable of taking care of my own needs and someone would bring me something. One time was when a pastor from the local church had shown up at Thanksgiving with a turkey and a box of food. I tried to turn him away and told him we really didn’t need it. About the time my old pastor’s words were coming to mind the pastor told me that a couple from the church had actually bought all of these items specifically for my family.

I was brought to tears to think about the kindness that was being bestowed on my little family. When I went to put away the food I knew that someone had chosen each and every item especially for my family. There were snacks and other items not usually included in the ‘Thanksgiving boxes’ and these items just happened to be some of my family’s favorite things. Things that I would splurge on every now and then for special occasions. Even now I am tearing up remembering that gift.

There have been so many occasions that God has brought me things in unexpected ways. I know that He loves me and I know that He has a plan. He has a reason for using others to provide us with things that we need. He may need us to show that person love, gratitude, and compassion. The giver may actually be receiving something far greater than what they have given.

When we accept gifts we are recognizing the kindness of the giver. This can help to build relationships. We are also letting go of judgmental ideas such as: I don’t need this or I don’t deserve this.

Many times we are afraid of accepting things because of the fear that they may expect something in return however is something is genuinely gifted to then nothing would be expected.

By swallowing our pride and accepting the gift we are learning important lessons. When we have little ones we are also teaching them important lessons. We may also be setting ourselves up to receive even bigger blessings in the future.

So the next time someone offers me something I will be kind and accept it graciously. If I offer someone a gift and they refuse I will offer it again and ask them not to rob me of a blessing.

Anyway we are still working on getting back to routines here. I do believe the laundry has been caught up, for now that is. Routines are coming more natural now as we continue to settle in. I am gradually adding a few more things to our routine schedule and trying not to get too overwhelmed. If it isn’t working then we make changes.

For instance last week the porch was really bothering me …. it still does for that matter. I had added it to my ‘Hot Spot’ list along with the table, the command center, and a few other areas that seem to be clutter collectors. The hardest part of living in a small home for me has to be the speed at which clutter overtakes things. This means I probably need to get rid of more stuff and teach everyone to put away the stuff when they finish using it.

Getting back to the porch, one area of the porch was sectioned off and tarped to use as a makeshift storage area for things that just wouldn’t fit in the house. Well, the intentions were to to close in the porch and turn it into a utility/storage room. Hurricane Irma hit before we could really get any progress made on that and caused us to delay those plans. Unfortunately, some of the stuff got wet and therefore needs to be gotten rid of. I have realized that some of the other stuff is really just stuff and not that important to me and I am trying to get rid of it.

Sighhh…. if only I had one day to dedicate to it I could probably do away with most of it and find homes for the rest of it. Then there would be space to actually make it an utility room or do something else there. For now I am going to keep my goal of 10 items/day and do what I can because every little bit is progress towards my goal.

That was a rather ambitious goal and I think I have managed to put three boxes of stuff in my truck to take to Goodwill. I also found some of my exercise equipment and made a temporary home inside for it… haven’t actually used it but I’m working on getting that back in my routine.

Another area on that Hot Spot list are the bookshelves. I am a firm believer that you can never have too many books, unless you live in a tiny space that just can’t handle it. Books are really hard for me to get rid of and I really am trying. My goal for these areas are one shelf a day. I also realized that some of the kiddie books are on a shelf that is not easily accessible to them and some of my more important books are a little too easily accessible for them… lol. I will be swapping some of that stuff around as well.

As far as our normal routines we are doing pretty well.

Today I caught up on my ‘weekly routines‘ (they may have changed a bit since that post) like scrubbing my kitchen sink (watch for that post coming soon) and cleaning out the fridge (post coming) and microwave. The FLyLady zone this week is in the bathroom so I have been doing a little extra work there and will probably put out some posts soon.

We’ve also worked on our ‘daily routines’ like laundry and such. I have chicken in the crockpot for Crockpot Italian Chicken and the kids are down for ‘quiet time’. I figured out how to upload pics from iphone to my laptop and now I am working on getting caught up on a couple of blog posts.

I must say I am proud of the kids and myself for being able to stay on routine as well as we did and for adjusting as well as they have. We have had our days, like yesterday, when I wonder if this move was really for the best. The kids were super cranky with a cold and I cried for awhile as I had to throw away some food because a freezer had gotten unplugged.

In my heart I know this was a good decision and that life will get easier as we go. It is so easy to doubt ourselves and lose faith when things get rough. I have to remember that God has a plan and that sometimes His plan includes runny noses, grouchy kids, and spoiled food.

Our little house may be old and dusty. There are cobwebs in the corners and plenty of things that need done. Our house is full of love though and we are working one day at a time to make it our home. I am hoping that by sharing our progress it will help to motivate others who may not be happy with where they are and help them to find contentment wherever they are.

We don’t need a new house or shiny new appliances. We may want them but that is something totally different than needing them. I am thankful for what the Lord has blessed us with and hope to help others feel that way too.

Note: If you read last week’s post you will see that I chose to wear purple last week as you can see in the picture… lol… today the kids think I should wear pink.

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Meet the Kirby’s

About Me:

First and foremost, I am a daughter of the King.​ I am also a slightly crazy, square dancing Momma with a houseful of babies (9 to be exact), a little bit of coffee, and a whole lot of Jesus!
I thank God for each and everyday He has given me and for the days ahead. I know we are not promised tomorrow and we need to cherish every minute of everyday we have here. We need to hold our loved ones close and make sure they know how much we love them and care for them.
I have been through a lot in my time here on earth and I know God is preparing me for a bigger plan. I do not know what His plan is for me and sometimes I don't understand. I know that I must keep my eyes on Him and keep my faith in His promises.
I am not perfect and I do not pretend to be. I am sinner saved by grace and I just want to bring honor and glory to His name. I pray that my blog will help to inspire others and that they may find hope and encouragement in knowing they are not alone in their battles.
Let us each strive to be a light to others in their darkness. That our light may lead others to Him and cause others to come to know Him. I pray that everyone who reads this may be touched by His loving hand and receive Him so that they may also be heirs to His glorious kingdom.